Tuesday, November 15, 2005
The Ashes of the Socialist Workers' Paradise
In today's Wall Street Journal, Nicholas Eberstadt discusses the probable effects of the aging populations in several countries, some of them surprising to me. But one of the most surprising statistics was this:
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Russia's particular vulnerabilities pivot less on the size of nation's elderly population than on the exceptional frailties of the workforce that must support it. Russia has suffered an extraordinary long-term deterioration of public health: Life expectancy is lower today than 40 years ago, and Russia's mortality upswing is concentrated in the "working ages." For Russians between 30 and 60, for example, death rates have shot up by over 45% since 1970. Demographers have low expectations for future progress in health--the U.S. Census Bureau, for instance, projects that Russia's male life expectancy will remain lower than India's through 2025, and beyond.I knew things were bad in Russia, but I did not know they were that bad. For life expectancy to fall below that of India is shocking. And it is of course a direct consequence of the socialist workers' paradise that many of the Left wish for us in this country.
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// posted by Tex the Pontificator @ 11/15/2005 09:30:00 PM 
